How to Brew The Perfect Authentic “Proper Cuppa”

Ahhh, a refreshing cup of afternoon tea. Or, more specifically – the proper cuppa. My in-laws are from England, as in born and raised in the boroughs of London, so I learned how to make tea from an expert. I can’t begin to tell you how proud I felt when my mother-in-law declared that I made a delightful cuppa that is the perfect nut-brown color. I really felt like I had accomplished something!

First and foremost – you need the right supplies

To boil the water, you either need a stovetop kettle or an electric one. I prefer the electric kettle as it seems like it is faster and you don’t have to fire up the stove to make a pot of tea.

A metal teapot is a must. The ceramic ones just don’t do the job as well. The size will depend on how many people will be drinking the pot of tea you are making. For just me, a smaller pot works well and it makes just enough tea to have 2 teacups full. I purchased this 32 oz pot on Amazon a few years ago. 

You also need a tea cozy to cover your pot and keep the tea warm. Both of mine have been gifts brought back from England, but there are plenty available online. You’ll want a cozy that covers the entire pot like the one in my photos, either densely knitted/crocheted or quilted. Maybe I should design one and get the pattern up here…

Now, Which tea to use…

For years, I used the tea that my MIL and FIL preferred: Marks & Spencer Luxury Gold teabags. These are delicious and I still use them today. I’ve also worked some loose leaf tea into the rotation, after receiving some as a Christmas gift. Harney and Sons English Breakfast and Earl Grey Supreme, mixed about 1/2 and 1/2 is my favorite blend. Also delicious is a pot of English Breakfast with a pinch of Hot Spiced Cinnamon added in – it’s like fall in a cup! Whatever your preference of flavor, this method of brewing works.

Here’s the tried and true British method for the perfect cup of tea:

First, bring your water to a boil. How much will depend on the size pot you are making. For my small pot, I use at least 1 liter of water, sometimes closer to 1.5 liters. You need enough for the pot of tea plus some extra for warming the pot. 

Once your water is boiling, pour a little into the teapot and swish it around to warm the pot. Even though it seems strange, don’t skip this step – it really makes a difference. I’ve inadvertently forgotten to do this step before, and the pot of tea doesn’t stay warm for nearly as long. Be careful with the handle if your teapot has a metal handle – it will get hot very quickly, so make sure you use a pot holder. Once you’ve swished the water around the pot a few times, dump it into the sink. 

If you are using loose leaf tea, it’s time to put the tea in the pot. The rule of thumb here is one teaspoon of tea for each person drinking and one teaspoon for the pot. So for my little pot, I use a total of 2 teaspoons, one for me and one for the pot. If you are using a larger pot and there are three folks drinking, you would use a total of 4 teaspoons (3 for the drinkers and 1 for the pot). For teabags, I usually wait to add the bags until after the water is in the pot. I don’t think it really matters, but the bags puff up more if add them first. 

Pour the hot water into your teapot. The amount will depend on the number of cups you expect to get out of the pot, but you should be careful not to fill the pot more than about 3/4 full so it does not spill over when you go to pour your tea. If you are using teabags, add these now. A good ratio is 1 bag per person drinking. If you are looking for a very strong pot of tea, you can add an extra bag for the pot. For my small pot, I typically use just one bag, unless I want to speed up the steeping time and then I add a second bag. 

Once all of the water and tea are in the pot, close the lid and put the cozy over the pot. Let it sit for 7-10 minutes to steep. The longer it sits, the stronger the tea will be. If you pour too soon, it will be far to weak. It should be a “lovely nut-brown colour,” to quote my MIL, and she is absolutely right! When it’s the right color, the flavor is perfect. Too pale and you can’t even taste the tea. 

Once the tea is ready, prepare your teacup. For a truly proper cuppa, add a little sugar and milk to your cup before pouring. Take the cozy off of the pot and grab your potholder for that hot handle, then pour the tea into your cup. If you used loose leaf tea, you will need a strainer to catch any bits that make it through the built-in strainer in your pot. The one pictured here came with my gift set from Harney & Sons. 

Remove the strainer, give your cup a stir and enjoy. Isn’t it delicious?!? Making a proper cup of tea and having the time to sit and enjoy it is one of my favorite things to do on the weekends or after a long day at work. It is definitely not something you want to rush. Take some time for yourself and enjoy a proper cuppa today. Cheers!